Best Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe (2024)

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Tender, juicy, and intensely flavorful: this is the easiest and Best Thanksgiving Turkey recipe you will ever make! Citrus, herbs, and a hearty slathering of garlic butter make this the best no-brine recipe around.

I’m excited to show you how to make the easiest, most delicious roasted turkey recipe! All your friends and family will want you to host Thanksgiving every year.

Thanksgiving Turkey Recipe

Every time I make this roasted garlic butter turkey, I get asked for the recipe. And every time, I am happy to admit how easy it is! It’s the easiest oven-roasted turkey but is packed with flavor from herb-filled garlic butter sauce, citrus, and onion.

What I love most about this dish is that it’s a no-brine recipe. Roasting the perfect bird may seem intimidating, but following my easy step-by-step instructions on how to cook a turkey, you’re guaranteed to serve the best dinner on the block.

Even if you’ve never roasted a turkey before, you will be able to make this easy Thanksgiving turkey. Give it a try, and enjoy how amazing your house will smell as it cooks!

Tried this today and it turned out great! This is my go to turkey recipe from now on.

Melanie on Pinterest

Thanksgiving Turkey Ingredients

• 12-15lbturkey
• Garlic butter
• Orange,halved
• Lemon,halved
• Onion,halved
• Several sprigs of fresh herbs, like sage, rosemary, and thyme
• Baking twine
• Chicken broth
• Milk
• Flour
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Turkey Recipe (Step-by-Step)

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F with the rack in the lower third of the oven. Patthe turkeydry with paper towels (do not rinse).
2. Remove neck and giblets, gravy packets, or any packages inside the cavities of the bird.Check the large cavity of the turkey as well as the neck cavity.
3. For the turkey seasoning, you will need to make myGarlic Butter, butter mixture.It’s just 3 ingredientsand takes only a few minutes to mix together!
   
4. Carefully lift up the skin, separating it from the breast as much as you can.The back of a spoon works well for this.
   
5. Season underneath with garlic butter. Rub the outer skin all over with more garlic butter.
   
6. Stuff the cavity with theorange,lemon,onion, andherbs.
   
7. Tie the legs with cooking twine and transfer them to a rack set inside a roasting pan.Tuck the wings underneath so they don’t burn– this is important!
   
8. Pour2 cups of chicken brothinto the roasting pan and transfer to the oven.
   
9. Roast the turkey for 15 minutes, thenreduce the oven temperature to 350°F.
10. After the first hour of roasting the turkey, baste itevery 30 minutes. Tent the turkey with foil if the skin becomes deep golden brown before the turkey is cooked through.
    
11. Roast until a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh joint registers 175°F and 165°F when inserted into the breast (always test both).
    
12. Remove the turkey from the oven and transfer to a carving board. Allow it to rest for 15-20 minutes, and it should reach the proper internal temperature of 180°F in the thigh and 170°F in the breast. Do this before carving the turkey. Serve with turkey gravy!
    

Easy Turkey Recipes Tips

• Do not wash the turkey. Everyone thinks you need to wash your turkey, but that is not correct. Any bacteria on the turkey will get killed while baking, and you can spread bacteria if you wash it.
• Do not cook stuffing in the bird. I always recommend cooking the stuffing separately. You do not want to risk serving under-cooked stuffing! Stuffing the bird also slows down the cooking process, making it harder to cook it to the perfect temperature.
• Use a roasting pan with a rack, and fill the pan with broth. This serves two purposes: keeping the turkey moist as it cooks, and collecting the drippings to use for turkey gravy.
• Save those drippings! Trust me, you will want them for homemade turkey gravy. They make a world of difference!
• Save the bones! You can make an awesome turkey carcass soup with them, or turkey stock.
• Use a meat thermometer. See my guide to Turkey Temperature for best results. The perfect temperature will read 180°F inserted into the thigh and170°F inserted into the breast. Always insert it in both spots to test.
• Try my Butter Injection for Turkey or my Turkey Rub. They are amazing!

Turkey Temperature Chart

The perfect temperature will read 180°F on the thigh and170°F on the breast. You can follow my guide to the perfect turkey temperature.

I always recommend using a meat thermometer to make sure you cook your turkey to the right temperature. Always insert it in both the breast and the thigh area. It should be inserted close to, but not touching, the thigh bone.

Thanksgiving Turkey FAQs

How to Make Turkey Gravy

At this point, you can carve the bird and serve it with gravy. Follow my step-by-step instructions on how to make the perfect turkey gravy recipe!

How to Carve a Turkey

1. Place on a cutting board. Remove the twine around the legs using your knife.
2. Remove the legs by cutting through the area that connects the breast and the drumstick. Use your knife to slice down until you reach the joint. Then, using a paper towel, grab the leg and push it down. This will separate the leg and thigh from the bird. Use your knife to slice through the joint.
3. Remove the drumstick by separating the drumstick and the thigh by cutting through the joint area connecting them. Place the drumstick on a platter. Set aside the thigh meat to slice later.
4. Find the wishbone at the front center of the breast. Use your fingers to pull it out. Removing the wishbone makes it easier to carve the breast meat, so don’t skip this step.
5. Find the breastbone and place your knife on one side of it, and slice down close to the bone. As you are slicing, use your other hand to pull the meat from the breastbone. This will help you take the breast in one piece. Set aside the whole breast to slice later.
6. Using your knife, slice through the joint to remove a wing. Place the wings on the platter.
7. Hold the thigh bone with tongs or a paper towel, and remove the meat from the bone with your knife. Place the meat on the platter.
8. Use tongs to hold the breast in place, then place the meat on the cutting board so you can cut it at a shorter length. Slice the breast against the grain. Trust us, this will make a huge difference. Make sure to keep the skin attached. Place the slices on a platter.

How to Thaw a Turkey

For three different methods and tips on thawing the turkey in time for Thanksgiving, take a look at my guide on How to Thaw Turkey!

Turkey Thawing Time

For a turkey less than 6 pounds, thaw for 1 day.

Note: it isextremely importantto thaw your turkey safely.Never, ever thaw your turkey on the counter!

Turkey Recipes

• Boneless Turkey Roast
• Air Fryer Turkey Breast
• Sous Vide Turkey Breast
• Grilled Turkey Recipe
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast
• Smoked Turkey Recipe
• Spatchco*ck Turkey
• Deep Fried Turkey
• Cajun Turkey

Turkey Stuffing Recipes

• Chorizo Stuffing – all I can say is this stuff is amazing!
• Gluten free Stuffing
• Instant Pot Stuffing

Give my Popular Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes a try for even more ideas!

What to Do with Leftover Turkey

• Turkey Tetrazzini
• Turkey Sliders
• Turkey Carcass Soup is the best turkey noodle soup!
• Thanksgiving Leftovers Casserole
• Turkey Stock

Recipe

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